Combination air cleaner and humidifier



y 1932- w. F. SCHONBEIN 1,369,344

COMBINATION AIR CLEANER AND HUMIDIFIER Filed Dec. 23, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet l WILLIAM F; SGHONBEl/V INVENTOR M2. ATTORNEY July 26,1932. w SCHQNBEIN 1,869,344

COMBINATION AIR CLEANER AND HUMIDIFIER Filed Dec. 25, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet 2 WILLIAM F. SGHONBEIN INVENTOR EL 9 BY HIS ATTORNEYPatented July 26, 1932 I WILLIAM RscHoNBErN, or PORTLAND, onneo vCOMBINATION AIR CLEANER. Aim HUMIDIFIER,

Application filed December 23, 1929. Serial No. 416,167.

My invention has to do With devices for cleansing and adding moisture towarm air emanating from warm air furnaces. The invention is so designedthat, air previous to being warmed is brought into, contact with runningwater in such a manner thatparticles of dust, dirt and other foreignmatter are collected and carried away by that fluid. After the air hasbeen cleansed, it passes to the heat chamber provided therefor in thefurnace. During the interval of passage through the heat chamber, themoisture content of the air is increased by absorption of vapororiginating in such chamber.

The invention is of exceedingly simple construction and may be veryreadily incorporated in a warm air furnace. The device for precleaningthe air consists of a number of basins or pans arranged in steppedformation in the horizontal air intake pipe or shoe of the furnace. Asis usually the practice,

a vertical intake pipe conducts cold air to r the shoe, which in turnprovides passageway to the heat chamber. The pans are arranged in theshoe in horizontal planes one above the other, in the region of thejunction of the vertical air pipe with, such shoe. Each pan extends fromside to side of the shoe, and each is set back a space toward thefurnace with regard to thepan situated immediately below. Wateris'conducted to the pans, and from one to the other, commencing with thetopmost and ending withthe lowermost. The air passing through thevertical air intake, strikes the pans with considerable volumn' and in aseries of rolling movements passes over the water in the pans, and as itdoes so the foreign matter in suspension is deposited in the water.

After the air has been cleansed it is'conducted to the heat chamber,Where it is warmed and additional moisture added thereto. The addedmoisture is absorbed from a supply provided by a humidor pan which ismounted in the heat chamber. This pan is so constructed that the watercontained thereby is readily converted into 'vapor which is absorbed bythe heated air. Of course, as the water evaporates'itisrebygthe sectionline 3.3 of Fig. 2;

plenished by means of'a float valve arrangement connected witha supplysource. p

From the foregoing it Will be seenthat l1 invention attains severalobjects, among which One object is to provide a device for precleaningwarm air emanating from a Warm air furnace. 7

Another object is to provide a devicefor supplying moisture to theprecleaned ail? emanating from a warm air furnace. v A further object isto provide adevice as outlined, that is easy, simple and inexpensive toconstruct, and one that may be read ily attached to a warm air furnace.Other objects will be apparent upon-read ing the specification aided bythe drawings, wherein V r v Figure 1 isa side elevation of a-warm airfurnace illustrating the installation of my invention therein a Fig. 2is a vertical cross section indicated by the section line 2'-2 of Fig.,1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section indicated Fig; l is a perspective ofthe invention;

Fig. 5 is a perspective of a cover used for enclosing the outer ends ofthe water pans;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail showing thev apertures provided forsupporting the water pans; 5

Fig. 7 is a fragmentarydetail partially in .section, showing how thespacing bars are connected to the side plates; V

Fig. 8. is a side elevation of a furnace,

partly in section, and illustrates the manner in which the humidifierpan issupported in the heat chamber; I

Fig. 9 is a side elevation in section of the humidor pan; and

signed. to support the humidorpan.

Fig. 10. is a perspective of the platev de- Similar'characters refer. tosimilar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, this invention" i's 'sho'wn in connection with a' warmair furnace 1. Furnace 1 is provided with a horizontal air inlet pipe orshoe 2 with which communi-- cates the vertical inlet 3.. Shoe 2 communiecates ,withgan air heating jchamber in thegf furnace 1. 'The foregoingconstruction may vary somewhat according to the type of location ofwhich is concealedby the enver or side plate 6 of framet. Frameb iscom.- posed of two spaced side members or plates 6 and 7 respectively,which are 'heldapart by the spacing bars 8. Bars 8 have threads runon=-each end upon which -tl'1r'ead'e'd-t wo nuts, 8 and S" respectively,which are positioned one on one side of a plate andne on the ether.Plate 6 1s here'shown as being rectangular in outline to provide a coverfor the aperture in side 2. Plate 7, of course, sheuld be smaller -than6 in order that it may pass through such aperture, and it' r nay begiven the outline'i suggested in the drawings, wherein the portion 9 ofthe upper edge thereof is'inc'lined. To 'allowp-late 7 to'r'est atproper height with regard to plate I 6, it- -'is provrded withadjnstablelegs in the form of slotted plates which are positionablealong thebolt 12. v

V The-plates 6 and 7 are provided with' a like number of rectangular aertures 13. These are arranged in horizontal planes, one above theother, and are setback one over the othea These apertures are thesupporting means for the pans .14, 15,16,- Hand 18. The number of these;pans; of course, is determined by the size of shoe 2. In this instancethereare five, and they appear, through arrangement of aperturesl3, as aseries of steps. The; pans extend through the-'a'qg ie'rtures 13 in" theplates 6 and 7, and the-outer 'end 'of each proj'ects'substantiall'yfrbm'the plate 6. The projecting ends of 5 flow of water back and forththrough the- V. 0

the pa ns are e'achiprovided with" a removable cover 19 to prevent dirtfrom entering the pans from the" outside. I a

It is proposed to provide, a continuous pans, commencing with theuppermost and ending with the lowermost, the water/run.- fr'om each pantothe next immediately below. Each pan has an outlet" 20 whereby watermay'flow' fromit to the pan below; In order that the water will "flowfrom one-end "to the oth'er'of each panj'as it flows from the topmosttothelowermo'st, each has a partition or deflector plate 21 which providesa channel 22 commencing atthe outer-end'of the "pan, extending tothe-inner endand refturni'ngfto the outer end where it'terminat'es inanjoutlet 20. "Outlet 20of the lowermost pan is of course, connectedwith a conduit 1 designed to carry the vateraway. The pairs are sosupported withinthefr'ame 5thatthey may be removed at any time it sodesired.

'Water is supplied to the pans by means of seen th-at'the pans arearranged across the passageway 4 just below the passageway ,4. Cold airtraveling to the furnace descends the passageway 4" with considerableforce, and when it comes to the area occupied by the pans, a substantialportion thereof comes into contact with the water and the particles offoreign matter are deposited therein. After the airh-as been-cleansed itis conducted to the heat chamber 4 where the temperature thereof is"raised for heating pu'rposes.

Prior to emerging from: the heatchamber', moisture is added thereto,this is provided in the form of-vapor originating from humidor panlocated within the heat chamber. The hun i idor 25'is in the upperportion ef-the heat chamber. Pan 25:1is an elongated of the P2111 25.For thetpurposeo-f support- *ing the pan,-pla-te 36 ispro vided withlugs 32, one-e'aeh side" of the opening 31. .The pan 25 -is secured 'tolugs 32 by means of pins 33 w l'iich serve also as hinges for the cover34. The innerien d of the panis supported 'by-rod 35 whieh pas'sesthrough the tongue 36*. Gomp'lete" passagewf the rod is prevented bycontainerprovided with parallel ends and its heads? which bearsagainstthe tongue. 7

The outer end o'frod 354s "threaded and extends through wall 29 of thefurnace. A 1 15 thumb nut 38' is threaded thereto and bears against theouter surface of -the furnace wall.

Threading. and unthreadi-n-g nut 38 will raise and lower the inner endof pan '25.

When the "inner end of the :pan 25 is lowered the 'water'thereinwill beenabled to cover the entire inner surface of the inclined bottom portion26. A fluid supply pipe 39 is connected between valve 27 and T 40,. towhich construction being Sllli that it may very I30 readily be installedin furnaces that are in actual use without the necessity of making anymaterial alterations in such furnaces, and

when so installed it requires practically no apertures, elongated pansprojecting through corresponding apertures, said apertures being sodesigned that said pans are arranged in stepped formation in horizontalplanes one above the other, and said pans being constructed to allow acontinuous flow of water openings arranged in stepped relation, a seriesof liquid receiving pans extending through the respective openings andsupported in said housing, one end of each pan extending outside saidside wall, and communlcating means between the extended ends ofthesuccessive pans.

WILLIAM F. soHoNB IN- from one to the other commencing with theuppermost.

2. A humidifier for warm air furnaces, comprising an elongated panhaving the major portion thereof projecting into the heat chamber ofsuch furnace, aplate secured to the wall of said furnace, lugsprojecting from said plate providing a pivotal support for said pan, thebottom of said pan having a substantial portion arranged at aninclination to provide a shallow inner end, a tongue at the inner end ofsaid pan, a rod projecting from said tongue and extending through thewall of said furnace, including a nut threaded thereto exterior of thefurnace, a float valve in said pan, and a fluid supply pipe connected tosaid valve.

3. In combination with an air duct having a series of openings in a sidewall thereof, said openings being staggered with respect to each other,an open top pan fitting into each opening, a support for each pan withinthe duct on which the pans are slidable, each said pan extending outsidesaid side wall and each having a closure portion at its top for closingthe opening, there being an opening in each closure portion for theintroduction of water to the pans outside the wall of the duct, a

; pipe depending from each pan outside the 4. In combination with an airduct, includ- 1 ing a vertical cold air inlet pipe, and a horizontalcold air shoe communicating at its outer end with this lower end of thevertical pipe and at its inner end with a warm air furnace; of an aircleaning device arranged in the duct, at the juncture of the verticaland horizontal pipes, said air cleaning device including a series ofliquid receiving pans arranged in stepped relation, said pans extendingbeyond one side wall of the duct and communicating means between theextended ends of the successive pans.

5. A cold air duct for furnaces including substantially a housing havingone side wall thereof provided with a series of spaced

